California joins the union and messages need to be delivered. UPS had a solution and decided it needed to be luxury and efficient. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast. Teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop, to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…

Stephen and Dave right a wrong from a previous episode and dive deep into the history of franchising. A system for making millionaires. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, stor…

The amazing rise of Kodak was due to innovation after innovation and you’ll never guess why George Eastman called it Kodak. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector,…

Martha had a great idea. Xavier had a bigger dream. Roger knew what to call them. The story of the Cabbage Patch Kids will surprise you. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, sto…

How to build a tech company without being techy! No seriously, Rob Kalin, an artist, started Etsy and then polled more artists to make it awesome. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consu…

How does a serial entrepreneur turn into the owner of one of the largest shoe companies in the minimalist category? One shoe at a time… Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, stor…

Fred Smith came up with the idea of hub based courier service in school and the teachers gave him a “C”. Jokes on them! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and…

Xerox had an innovation department that put out some of the tech that we use on a daily basis, but never truly capitalized on it. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story coll…

FedEx purchased Kinko’s for 2+ Billion Dollars. Kinko’s doesn’t exist any more, but I think we can all agree that Paul Orfelea built an empire. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…

We all think about the pop pop pop. But it works best when it doesn’t make a sound. Here is the beginning of Bubble Wrap and the Sealed Air Corporation. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing…

Being willing to expose a weakness or a flaw or admitting a mistrake… uhm, sorry, A mistake allows people to know you are real. And real matters when building trust. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple i…

A Canadian invention that sold for $80,000,000 to Hasbro in 1993. Now it is a worldwide sensation. Come on, you’ve played it. Dave Young: … welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collec…

Travelling is fun, but stressful. Is the destination going to look like the pictures on the website? Voila, Trip Advisor. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, a…

Labor shortages are affecting the hiring of good people. How does business change their recruiting practices to get the best workers? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story …

The real liquid solid for adults turned into Silly Putty for the kid inside all of us. Natural rubber was hard to get and Silly Putty was the mistake that created an empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen …

Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a better built backpack that cost the same? The beginning of Herschel. How to feel established from day one? Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

The Randolph brothers busted a hole in the wall of their bakery to accommodate factory worker’s short break time. That was the first of 3 ways to create word of mouth. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from Mom and Pop to major brands. Steven Semple …

While struggling in the great depression, Margaret Rudkin was brave enough to offer her healthy bread, made for her son, to the local baker. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant,…

Stephen had a chance meeting that lead to an adventure in A.I. development. The recreation of the human brain? Let us know your thoughts. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, st…

Michael Kors was always destined for fashion. Modelling at a young age to losing everything and starting again. Open to adapting is his legacy. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…

What started with an obsession with a beautiful Mexican shrub, turned into a Billion dollars in annual sales and a patent on the flower. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, sto…

Bill Oesterle just wanted an easier way to renovate his home. Angie Hicks was a bright young intern. From answering phones to half of a Billion dollars. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing…

Who is Dave Young and why does he make such a good side kick? Is it a short attention span or his years of radio and business acumen? Let’s find out. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing co…

Eliminate the friction… That is what Lee Marshall did time and time again to keep Wonder Bread and Hostess at the top. Even taking pointers from milk. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing c…

Crazy innovations become future best practices. So what do you want your marketing goals to be set be based on? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from Mom and Pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyte…

Joan, Lawrence and James went against what was common thought and practice of the time to create an absolute empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and st…

From feeling ripped off to inspired to Germany and then buying a manufacturing plant to stop the competitor. Wow, Harry’s was ready to fight. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

What do you do when you have an itch that won’t go away? Pete Maldonado scratched his itch and didn’t quit until CHOMPS was born. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story coll…

Turning a life long passion for creating characters into a brilliant brand that sold for 400 Million Dollars. Oh, and sued Taco Bell. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story …

Not a direct path to popularity, but G.I. Joe the toy doesn’t give up. Hasbro was brilliant in finding ways for G.I. Joe to always be current. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultan…

User experience versus the imagination. Matchbox light the imagination of playable toy car and Hot Wheels rolled out the playable version. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, s…

Have you every heard of the Yukadoodle? It was parent’s favorite toy. Now learn how that turned into Barbie. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from Mom and Pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller…

An accident that really happened by an accident. Erno Rubik created his cube to visualize 3D space, but people just wanted to solve a puzzle. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant…

Bill sells the family name and moves on from Whisky. Marjorie knew he wasn’t happy and told him to make whisky again. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and s…

Two entrepreneurs, Russian Revolution, Prohibition, A-1 Steak Sauce, Grey Poupon mustard, two buddies having drinks over a failed business and a book turned movie. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is …

Isaac Singer had 2 passions, being a travelling actor, and inventing and improving things. He used one to fund the other. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, a…

When Spotify showed up and interrupted his revenue stream, Jack Conte didn’t roll over, he found a way to to help all creators. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collec…

Apparently copywrite laws were pretty weak during the great depression, so, Joseph Rosefield started Peter Pan and Skippy peanut butter. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, sto…

Alexey Pajitnov was supposed to build voice recognition software for the Russian government. Instead he built a video game and gave it away. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant,…

Smoking trends started to shift with men smoking more allowing Marlboro County to become Marlboro Country. Strong, confident and independent. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

Jim Koch is a multi-generational brewer, but it was a tax loophole that inspired him to start his brewery and create Samuel Adams. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story col…

Wolfman Jack was a larger than life Radio DJ that broke out after he adopted a persona and created a very interesting character. Can you say marketing? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing …

Frank Zamboni couldn’t stand the time it took to resurface the ice on a massive ice rink in L.A. So, he invented a better way. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collect…

Tom Casey’s Griffin Service was sought after and sold because it became famous and stood for something. Do the work and treat people well. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, s…

Tom Casey tells us how a health scare jump started his change in life that lead to the birth of Griffin Home Service. This guy is awesome. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, s…

Facts tell, but stories sell. Nike needed to break away from the crowd and so they related to the everyday athlete. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and sto…

Leslie Scott got bored of a game and invented a new one, Jenga. She also almost went bankrupt trying to bring it to market. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector …

Understanding the relationship between the consumer and the web is how Paul English grew Kayak and sold it for 1.8 billion dollars. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…

Ben Cook describes how brilliantly trained NASCAR Pit Crews inspired an amazing business consulting division. Be open to new opportunities and nimble enough to adapt. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple …

After a soul searching sabbatical and a very smelly #2 experience, Suzie knew that she finally had the right idea at the right scale to be sustainable. Welcome Poo Pourri. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop, to major brands. Stephen S…